Editing Delaware River (section)

===Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area===
{{See also|Tocks Island Dam Controversy}}

The [[Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area]] came about as a result of the failure of a controversial plan to build a dam on the Delaware River at [[Tocks Island]], just north of the [[Delaware Water Gap]] to control water levels for flood control and hydroelectric power generation. The dam would have created a {{convert|37|mi|km|adj=on}} lake in the center of present park for use as a reservoir. Starting in 1960, the present-day area of the Recreation Area was acquired for the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers|Army Corps of Engineers]] through [[eminent domain]]. Between 3,000 and 5,000 dwellings were demolished, including historical sites, and about 15,000 people were displaced by the project.

Because of massive environmental opposition, dwindling funds, and an unacceptable geological assessment of the dam's safety, the government transferred the property to the [[National Park Service]] in 1978. The National Park Service found itself as the caretaker of the previously endangered territory, and with the help of the federal government and surrounding communities, developed recreational facilities and worked to preserve the remaining historical structures.<ref>''Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area'' (pp. 7–8), Obiso, Laura, 2008.</ref><ref>[http://www.njskylands.com/pkdwgnra.htm Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110803140204/http://www.njskylands.com/pkdwgnra.htm |date=August 3, 2011 }}, ''njskylands.com''.</ref>

The nearby [[The Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort|Shawnee Inn]],<ref name="DailyRecord1">{{cite news|title=Shawnee Marking Golden Season|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/65387791 |access-date=December 21, 2020 |work=The Daily Record|location=Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania|date=June 17, 1960|ref=DailyRecord1}}</ref><ref name="Squeri182">Squeri, p. 182.</ref> was identified in the 1990s as the only resort along the banks of the Delaware River.<ref>{{cite book|title=Fodor's national parks and seashores of the east|date=1994|publisher=Fodor's Travel Publications|location=New York|page=164|edition=1|ref=Fodor1}}</ref><ref name="CourierNews">{{cite news|last1=Shea|first1=Barbara|title=Let the current set the pace at the Delaware Water Gap|work=The Courier-News|location=Somerville, New Jersey|date=September 11, 1994|ref=CourierNews}}</ref>

[[American Rivers]], an environmental advocacy group, named the Delaware River as the [[River of the Year]] for 2020, citing 75 years of progress in reducing pollution and restoring wildlife.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tanenbaum |first1=Michael |title=Delaware River named 2020 River of the Year by national environmental organization |url=https://www.phillyvoice.com/delaware-river-2020-river-of-the-year-american-rivers-pennsylvania-new-york-new-jersey-maryland/ |access-date=14 August 2023 |work=PhillyVoice |date=15 April 2020 |language=english}}</ref>